Now coming towards the end of the semester, I would say my brain has been scattered since visiting Wenner Hall, to attending a band rehearsal, recording my oral history, to organizing band programs as archival work.
Before getting into the groove of archiving, I have to admit I felt a little frantic. Getting to practice creating a finding aid with information from my life definitely helped me prepare for doing the same thing with these programs. It’s neat to see how over time, the programs have changed and how much detail is included in a program, not just the setlist itself, but the advertising and the images used throughout. It’s as if the first program for the band (on record) was an infant and I’m watching it grow up before my eyes (sorry to be super cheesy and sappy, but it’s just how I see it!).
When we visited Wenner Hall, I felt like a complete stranger (although I knew some things about the band prior to visiting), but now that the band members know my face (and shaky camera skills), I feel as if I’m part of the band too in a way, and I’m happy I get to document their lives— they are definitely worth getting to know. They aren’t kidding when they say it takes a village to create a masterpiece like this. I’m really grateful I get to be a part of this project and can’t wait to see the finishing touches after this semester.
